Follower-block for card-index trays.



J. WITMER.

FOLLOWER BLOCK FOR CARD INDEX TRAYS. APPLIGATIOL FILED APJLz's, 1913.

Ll 14,66% Patented 0013.20, 1914.

WIT/VESSES:

of the United States,

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

JOEL WITMER, OF KANSAS CITY,` MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR T0 ELIZABETH WITMER, OF

AKANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, DOING Business as wiTiiiEa imcoan company.

roLLowEii-Bilocx Foa carin-INDEX raars.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

Application led April 26, 18,13. SerialI No. 763,733.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOEL WrrMEii, a citizen residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FolloWer-Blocks for Card-Index Trays; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descrip-v tion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which forms a part of this specification.

My invention relates to follow blocks for card index trays, and has for its principal object to provide a device of that type adapted for supporting a number of cards in proper relation and position within a tray, and which may be easily and quickly adjusted therein and held firmly within'the tray when adjusted to the desired position.

In accomplishing this object I have providedv the improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure I is a perspective view of an card index tray containing a follower constructed according to my invention. Fig. II is a rear perspective View of same, the tray being in section for better illustration. Fig., III is a plan view of the follower, showing the spread of the resilient side members thereof. Fig. IV is an enlarged detail view of the follower lever and parts of the connecting rods. ,Fig V is a detail pers ective of part of the tray and one of the ollower wings, showing an auxiliary rail for holding the wing flanges.

Referring more in detail to the parts :.-1 designates the card index tray of any ordinary construction, except that the sides 2 are provided with vertical grooves 3 which are preferably formed in the material of which the sides are composed, or by slotting a rail 4 which is separate from but adapted for application to the tray sides, the rail when such is used, being also preferably provided with a top Bange 5 for limiting the upward movement of the follower wing flanges which will presently be described.

' The follower itself comprises a body member `6 and side wings 7, preferably formed from fa-eingle piece of sheet metal having resilient qualities, so that the wings when bent properly will ,project at an obtuse angle from the follower body, and so that when the follower is supported on the lower edges of the body and wings, the front of the body portion will be inclined backwardly and upwardly so that cards leaning thereagainst will stand at an angle.

` The wings 7 are tapered toward their ends and bent laterally to fo-rm the flanges 8 which are adapted for projection into the tray grooves 3 to hold the follower in an adj usted position, the grooves, however, being preferably beveled on their forward faces so that the wing flanges will ride thereover when the follower is pushed forwardly, in order to close will hold firmly in the op osite direction. The resiliency 'of the meta will force the wing flanges into vlocking engagement with the slotted sides of the tray, and in order to withdraw said fianges so that the follower may be adjusted I provide a lever 9 which is pivotally connected with the follower body preferably near the bottom, and by slotting the lower end of the lever and turning a stamped out lip 10 on the follower body through the aperture in the lower end of the lever, provision is made that a lever may have free movement in a vertical plane on the follower but will be held securely thereto.

Pivotally connected with, and extended from, each side of the lever 9, is a tie rod l1, which is pivotally connected with the wing 7 on the same side preferablyby extending a stamped out lip l2 on the-wing through an eye 13 on the end of the rod.

With this construction, when it is desired to adjust the follower, the latter is grasped by the body portion 6 and lever 9, so that the latter is swung on its mounting and tends to draw the ends of the wings inwardly through their connection with the lever by the tie rods 11. With the wings drawn inwardly until the flanges clear the sides of the tray the follower may be moved back to the desired position, and when the lever is released the wings will automatically spread to reseat the keeper Hanges.

It is apparent that when the follower4 is to be moved forward it is only necessary to push the follower, as the bevel faces of the groove parts of the tray will allow the .eeper flanges to ride forwardly thereover.

the card space, but

It is apparentithat with lthe device -con/-A structed of a single lpiece of spring metal,

the body itself may be sprung to release the end flanges, and in that way obviate -the necessity for the lever mechanism, although such mechanism facilitates the release of the flanges. n

. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein,` and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

Y1. A follower block comprising a body member having resilient side wings provided with outturned end flanges. l l

2.' A follower,4 block comprising a body member having integral resilient end wings provided with laterally turned keeper flanges.

3.' A follower block comprising a backwardly and upwardly inclined body member having downwardly tapered end wings provided with laterally turned keeper flanges.

Il. A follower block comprising a body member and resilient end wings, a lever mounted on the body member, and connections between said lever and said end wings, for the purpose set forth. l

5. A follower block comprising a body member having resilient end wings, a lever pivotally mounted on the body member, and rods pivotally connecting the lever with said resilient end wings, for the purposeset forth. l

6. A followerv block comprising a body member having resilient end wings, lips stamped from the body member and end wings, a lever pivotally mounted on the body lip, and rods pivotally mounted on the wing lips, and connected with said lever, for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination with a tray comprising side members having vertically arranged and spaced ratchet faces, of a follower blcck comprising a body adapted for projection/ across the tray chamber, and having resilient end wings yieldingly engaging the ratchet faces to hold-the .follower against travel in one direction and adapted for sliding over said, ratchet faces when the follower. is moved in the .opposite direction.

A 8. The combination with a tray comprising side portions and keeper members lying along the inner faces of said side portions, of

al follower block comprising a` body adapted to extend across the tray chamber and. having resilient Vend'wings yieldingly engaging sa-id keeper members 'to hold the followeragainst travel in one direction. v 'I l 9. The combination with a tray vhaving recesses in its side members, of a follower ,block comprising a body member adapted to -extend across the tray chamber, and having,

:end wings adapted to lie against the tray sides, and means on the end wings for projection into the recesses in the sides'of the tray, for the purpose set forth.

l0. The combination with a tray having recesses in itssides provided with shouldered rear faces and beveled forward'faces, a

follower comprising a body memberhaving resilient endV wings, and keeper iianges on said end wings ada ted for projection into said recesses whereby the follower is Vheld against backward movement but adapted for free forward movement, substantially as set forth. i

-V In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in presence`of two witnesses.

JOEL WITMER. I

Witnesses:

ARTHUR W. CAPS, LETA E. CoA'rs. 

